Indigenous people (IP) remain victims of injustices despite the existence of laws that supposedly protect them. Even before the pandemic started, the Lumad have faced numerous military harassment, even extrajudicial killings, which forcefully displaced them from their ancestral lands for the benefit of private businesses. Such attacks made the Lumad abandon their homes and seek…
Tag: National Situationer
The Philippines has long grappled with addressing teenage pregnancy, whether by expanding education on reproductive health or by providing better access to birth control options. Yet, as a Social Weather Stations survey found last November, the issue remains the “most important problem of women today.” For nine consecutive years, the country has reported a rise…
To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution, speakers from different generations shared their insights on the historic movement in Rekindling People Power: A Kapihan ng Malalayang Lasalyano Forum, an online seminar hosted by the Office of the Vice President for Lasallian Mission last February 26 on Facebook live. Information gap As…
The fight for gender equality in the Philippines has been a particularly long one. As early as 2000, an early version of a Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) bill had already been filed in Congress, drafted by then-Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales and late Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Since then, at least 16 different versions…
President Rodrigo Duterte, in his weekly late-night address last September 28, launched into a sudden tirade against Facebook. “Facebook, listen to me. We allow you to operate here hoping that you could help us also. Now, if [the] government cannot espouse or advocate something which is for the good of the people, then what is…
Despite calls for a postponement of voter registration due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has resumed accepting applications after a five-month delay last September 1 in areas not under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or Modified ECQ. Comelec, however, has implemented extensive safety procedures to comply with public health measures. Face…
The ABS-CBN shutdown is a chilling reminder of the state’s power to silence the opposition, but also of the importance of journalists continuing their work amid a bleak time for their profession.
With eased lockdown measures, the reported cases of COVID-19 have continued to rise around the country, especially in parts of Metro Manila. Meanwhile, more local government units were also put under new community quarantine regulations. Government priorities continue to be questioned amid rising infection rates, with ABS-CBN’s bid for franchise renewal quashed in Congress and…
Before COVID-19 escalated into a pandemic, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned world leaders against another issue that may arise. “[We’re] not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic,” he argued then. According to the WHO, an infodemic occurs when there is “an excessive amount of information about a problem”…
More than two months since quarantine measures were implemented nationwide, public confusion still persists as government authorities’ efforts continue to fall short in alleviating the effects of the pandemic on citizens. The LaSallian looks back at the nationwide happenings in the past week, including contradictory pronouncements from government officials; continuing developments for the media and…